title: Localization dynamics of fluids in random confinement.
abstract: The dynamics of two-dimensional fluids confined within a random matrix of obstacles is investigated using both colloidal model experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. By varying fluid and matrix area fractions in the experiment, we find delocalized tracer particle dynamics at small matrix area fractions and localized motion of the tracers at high matrix area fractions. In the delocalized region, the dynamics is subdiffusive at intermediate times, and diffusive at long times, while in the localized regime, trapping in finite pockets of the matrix is observed. These observations are found to agree with the simulation of an ideal gas confined in a weakly correlated matrix. Our results show that Lorentz gas systems with soft interactions are exhibiting a smoothening of the critical dynamics and consequently a rounded delocalization-to-localization transition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Thomas O E
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Simon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Schnyder
authors.forename: Dirk G A L
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Aarts
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horbach
authors.forename: Roel P A
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dullens
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids; D004058:Diffusion; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids